Day 97 - Bags of Clothes to Goodwill

The entire family tackled the house today and in particular our closets.  We did this a couple of weeks ago but it definitely needed another, more intense pass.  So while still working on my study of The 7 Experiment we decided to really purge our clothing.  Here's a great quote from the book about excess that really served me a slice of humble pie.

"Excess has impaired perspective in America; we are the richest people on earth, praying to get richer.  We're tangled in unmanageable debt while feeding the machine, because we feel entitled to more.  What does it communicate when half the global population lives on less that $3 a day, and we can't manage a fulfilling life on $25,000 (almost 35 times that amount): $50,000 (almost 70 times that amount)?  It says we have too much and it is ruining us."

The girls and I picked 7 or less items in each clothing category (shirts, bottoms, pjs, etc.) and bagged up the rest for donation.  Chris also participated but we gave him a pass on his work clothes so he ended up with a few more in those categories. 

I just feel horrible that we have so much excess while so many people around the world are in need so any little bit I can do to help, I will gladly do.  This book has definitely caused me to re-evaluate how we live and what we can live without.

Day 97 - Clothes for Goodwill

Day 96 - Got Colorful to Promote Healthy Living

Today was my first 5k Color Run and I LOVED it!  I ran with 10,000 of my closest friends and it was awesome.  Wonderful weather, lots of fun outfits and some exercise to top it off.

Now the single largest event series in the nation, The Color Run is exploding since their debut event in January of 2012 and will grow from over 50 events and 600,000 participants in 2012, to over 100 events and over a million participants in 2013. 

While The Color Run event is all about fun and positive energy, the 5k also focuses on promoting healthy living. Over 60% of Color Runners are first-time 5k runners and the event is making headway on the growing national focus of improving health and wellness.

Presently more than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese.  Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.

Events like the Color Run help to combat the obesity epidemic and bring together friends and family in a unique, healthy, and fun environment, promoting wellness and exercise.  So for today's random act I got colorful for wellness.

Be Healthy. Be Happy. Be You.

Day 96 - Got colorful to promote healthy living

Day 95 - Soles 4 Some Souls

As I prepare for the Dallas Color Run tomorrow I started thinking about my shoes and which shoes I should wear, should the color packets wreak havoc on them.  Shoes are the one clothing item that so many of us have an overflowing abundance of and our only problem is which pair best matches our outfit.  But there are so many around the world that go completely without.  Unicef estimates that out of 2.2 billion children in the world, 1 billion live in poverty, with 300 million of these kids estimated to lack a pair of adequate shoes. That is just heart-breaking.

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that has a simple concept: procure shoes and get them to those in need.  Having started after the 2004 tsunami of southeast Asia, their mission is to collect new shoes to give relief to the victims of abject suffering, and used shoes to support micro-business efforts to eradicate poverty.

Soles4Souls has delivered over 19 million pairs of new and used shoes to those in need.  For every $1 donated to Soles4Souls, they can provide one additional pair of shoes to someone in need.  So for today's random act of kindness I made a contribution to purchase several pairs of shoes.

As I'm running tomorrow and looking at all those colorful running shoes I'll be sure to think about Soles4Souls and all those children that are presently going without.

Day 95 - Soles 4 Souls

Day 94 - Stood Up for Children

April is child abuse prevention month and the staff Dallas Children's Advocacy Center makes it their goal to stand up for children not only in April but all year long.

The mission of the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) is to improve the lives of abused children in Dallas County and to provide national leadership on child abuse issues. DCAC coordinates the investigation and prosecution of the most severe cases of child abuse in our community.

Last year, DCAC served more than 2,400 children (and their nonoffending family members) who were sexually abused, severely physically abused, or who had witnessed a violent crime. DCAC provides a warm, child-friendly environment to help children who are referred by law enforcement or CPS.

The DCAC invites everyone to stand up for children and offers some simple, positive steps to raise the profile of this important issue.  So for today's random act of kindness I took one of those steps and purchased a t-shirt to help support the DCAC and bring awareness to this issue.

We need to all stand up for children because there is no excuse for child abuse.

Day 94 - Stood up for children

Day 93 - Empowered a Woman by Making a Loan

I heard about this wonderful organization last week that allows individuals to loan money (as little as $25) to men and women living in poverty.  The loans allow them to begin and sustain their own small businesses to better living situations for their families and in turn their community.  The repayment rate is 99.01% and once your loans are re-paid you may remove your money, donate it to the organization or filter it back in to help another individual in need.  How empowering is that?!!?

The organization is called Kiva and is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.

I personally live in such a bubble and really have no grasp on the extreme poverty around the world.  I may have a perception of poverty but without ever experiencing it or seeing it for myself, am totally naive.  So this is a perfect opportunity for me to become more aware and informed as well as empowered to make a difference and change the world one small loan at a time.

How it Works

Day 93 - Empowered a woman by making a loan

Day 92 - Donated Clothes to Women's Shelters

This semester our bible study group is studying the book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.  Each week of the study is dedicated to areas of our lives where many of us overindulge.  Food, clothing, possessions, waste, media, etc.  For our 2nd week we are discussing clothing, and as an exercise are collecting clothing for local organizations that assist women and children in need.  The two main organizations we are working with are Hopes Door and Shiloh Place.  All donations will be brought up on stage tonight during our study.

A couple of weeks ago the girls and I raided our closets and filled a couple of large garbage bags with clothes in anticipation of a situation like this.  We are hoping these items bless the women and children of these shelters.  

Day 92 - Clothing donations 

 ** Just a portion of the donations from tonight.  They are having a 2nd collection next week!

Day 91 - Advocated for Autism

Tomorrow, April 2nd is National Autism Awareness Day.  Having friends and knowing so many that live with Autism on a daily basis I wanted today's random act of kindness to bring awareness and spark discussion about something that doesn't always have a voice.  For today's random act of kindness I supported Autism Speaks by purchasing Autism Speaks wristbands to wear and distribute to others.

Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, grandparents of a child with autism. Their longtime friend Bernie Marcus donated $25 million to help financially launch the organization. Since then, Autism Speaks has grown into the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. They are proud of what they've been able to accomplish and look forward to continued successes in the years ahead.

Day 91 - Purchased Autism Speaks wristbands